Back in the Habit.

Just thought these were cute!

Okay, so I am probably not back in the habit-but I am back for a short visit. I have been nothing but neglectful to my blog, and there is just no excuse. Dad wanted me to freshen it up a bit-so here it goes.

I had a pretty good summer full of pre-school teaching, job interviews, stressful exams, family fun, time with the boy, and the last "summer" I will have for a while-possibly ever.
I am now working as a school social worker in Euless at an Elementary school. I am really enjoying it! I will work intensively with atleast 90 kids...and there is a definite need for services in the area I am in. I am at a great school with a great staff! I am still completely in love and so happy with Clay:) I am glad to be done with school, and my transition to the real world is slowly but surely happening. I am still lucky to have gracious parents that will keep a roof over my head-they truly are the best!
You all know I am more of photo blogger, than a verbal one...so enjoy the small summer slide show...and hopefully I will have some interesting school stories for you soon...oh, kids.

Fun at the creek

Lots of wedding shower fun this summer

Beautiful Bride of July...

...and beautiful bride of August

...and my boys.

It has been a good summer, and the Lord has proven once again to be faithful. I am blessed to be in the family I am in, and to be loved by the ones I am loved by. Good game, summer.

A little pomp, and a little circumstance

Well...I did it. I graduated for the third and final time. On Friday, May 12 at 11:30am I graduated from UTA with my Masters of Science in Social Work! It was a great weekend!

Cousin, Mary Kate, and nephew, Jack were glad to watch the graduation. I can't wait to see these two graduate some day!

My Grandma and Poppa have been so supportive of all my educational endeavors. They treated us all to a great celebration lunch at my favorite little pink cafe, the Celebrity Cafe. It was a great time after a long ceremony.
These are the two that have been the most supportive of me in my seventeen years of education. Mom and Dad made this a great weekend for me, and we had such a great time. This picture is at the Celebrity Cafe. Friday night they treated me and the fam to an amazing dinner at the Reata in Fort Worth and a fun time at Four Day Weekend. We had such a blast! I truly can't thank them enough for encouraging me and giving me so many opportunities in my education. I love you two!
Sweet Clay surprised me at my graduation. Since my graduation was Friday afternoon, I knew he wouldn't be able to get off work to attend. Well, I will brag on him and let you all know he worked overtime all week just so that he could come to my big day! What a precious gift. I was so surprised! He is too good. This pic was taken Friday night as my family and I began our fun night in down town Fort Worth. This is actually where Clay and I first met...yes, in a parking garage. Oh, to internet hook ups. If you haven't heard our story-you simply must.

Well I graduated with my masters on Friday and my cousin, Melissa Jo graduated from Kindergarten last night. She came to my graduation almost directly after she got off her plane from Hawaii...poor thing (pictured above)...and I attended her big kindergarten graduation (pictured below)! Honestly her graduation was a little more entertaining! I am so proud of her!

So, I am all graduated and currently waiting to see what the future holds for me. I had such a great weekend, and my family made it all so special for me. I am indeed spoiled and loved. Thank you all! Now I need to take my big licensing exam and you know find a job. All in good time...all in good time.

In completely unrelated news my sis and brother-in-law are headed to the big apple next week for a greatly anticipated vacation! Christine, big time theatre buff, has never been to NYC...I am so excited for them. They are planning shows, shopping, the Today Show, good food, and sight seeing. I am so pumped for them...and you know we get to watch our little man Jack while they are gone! Y'all have fun-you two deserve it!

Spring Fever

So apparently my blog is less of an online journal and more of an online photo album. I don't really have a whole lot to say, but just that I am loving life and enjoying spring. I am graduating from graduate school on May 12th, and I just can't believe it. The job search begins! If you randomly hear of any social work jobs in good old Ft. Worth, let me know! God has been so good to me this year, and I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned and the challenges school has given me.

Anyway, I wanted to share some of the fun stuff this spring that has been going on in my little world...

Jena and Shawn came in from Midland, and I finally got to see Jena for the first time since November. Clay and I met them at Starbucks for a quick visit, then had a photo shoot in the parking lot!

Easter was a great day at the Tyndall's...a bit hot, but lots of fun. My cousins are getting so big. Since when is Peter taller than me?!?! Peter, Melissa Jo, Mary Kate, Nathan, and Jared looked so great in their Easter best. I love my way too big family.

Clay is wonderful, to say the least. We accidentally matched on Easter...i loved it! I am so thankful for him in my life, and we are having such a blast. I am in love! I know- he is pretty good looking, too!
This is what the backyard at my parent's house looks like most of the time so far this spring. Jack, Melissa Jo, and Mary Kate love kicking back on the swing while usually Clay cooks out, and the rest of just sit around...it is so the life.

My blog wouldn't be right without some Jack pictures. SO here is Jack with his best little friend, Elmo. He got this Elmo Easter basket, and he had a fit! Here he is giving Elmo a smooch. He is becoming such a little man!

One last spring pic of my two guys...Clay and Jack have become fast little friends, and we have so much fun hanging out with Matt, Christine, and Jack.

So, thanks for looking at the scrapbook...i wish i had some funny stories or exciting news, but for now the photo album will have to suffice. I hope you all have a bit of spring fever too...I hope to have some job interviews soon, of course more pics of Jack, ramblings about Clay, and graduation news to tell you all soon! Enjoy the Spring, I mean Summer, like weather!

My Leave of Absence...

Well, I wrote this blog a while ago, and had been saving it for some reason, but then I received a shout out from Cassie demanding an update-so basically this all for my amazing friend Cas, that I never ever see or talk to enough, but we always pick up where we left off...oh, yeah and this is for the rest of you too!

random picture of me and cassie (the one this is for...), and also for the rest of you too....

Okay so I have been a little blog avoidant lately, and I am sure that has just broken many of your hearts...My mysterious blog disappearance has been due to many factors...some of the things include: a garage sale, a man, 3 of the most complicated term papers in my life, weekend getaways, family time, a crossover to myspace, oh, and did I mention that man?!?!
so, i apologize to my multitudes of blog subscribers, but atleast I left you with pictures of Jack to look at for the last month!

SO, my life is so full right now of overflowing gifts from God. He has blessed me in so many unexpected and unimaginable ways-but that is the God that we serve! The blessings are in the little things and in the big. God has poured out his gifts, and I hope now I can serve Him and bring honor to Him in my acknowledgement of those blessings. The good things in my life are as follows (in no particular order and the list is in no way exhaustive, otherwise you would be here all day reading...

-I am about 52 days away from graduating from graduate school...if only all these papers, tests, and projects would get done...hard to get done, when I am blogging and not working...but I am so close to the end!

-I am in a relationship that has been a direct gift from God. Clay is an amazing man of faith. We are having so much fun together, and I am continually baffled as to how I got this lucky. ...this is a blog all its own...or, Cas-just a really long phone conversation:)

- I have the absolute best family in the world. My parents are so giving and encouraging, my siblings are my best friends in the world, and I have the cutest nephews ever! I could keep going with the extended family...i am a lucky girl!

-I am confident that God has some great post-graduation plans for me. I am learning patience and faithfulness right now. I have a lot more to learn

- I am reading Beth Moore's A Heart Like His right now- it is great.

- I am so encouraged and in awe of my friends. How did I get to be friends with some of the most amazing Godly women?!? I am uplifted by old friendships and precious new ones.

-I love spring time! It is a time of growth, sunshine, beauty, and color- I love it!

-I have been blessed through conversations with a lot of meaning-that is always fun, and I have also been blessed with the gift of belly-aching, knee-slappin times of laughter

-I have made some special friends at UTA. I have only been there a few short months, but I have met some amazing social work professionals and I have been challenged in my faith!

-I have the cutest puppy ever. okay, so mollie is no longer a puppy at the young age of nine, but she is so cute!

-I am blessed to be with someone who values family in the extreme way I do...family is such a gift

-I am finally kind of going to the gym...there is definitely room for improvement, but i love the time i spend taking care of body and clearing my mind

-I have learned a great deal from my internship, and I don't doubt for a second God wanted me to be here in Aledo this year

- two of my roommates from last year are getting married to Godly men this summer, and the third roommate that got married last summer is having a baby of her own...oh, my Griffith girls!

-I am full of joy and desire for the Lord, and I am so unworthy of these gifts...

...doesn't sound like too much is going on when you make a list of it, but my life is so full right now, and God is moving and doing so much!!!

I love you, Cas...and the rest of you too, of course:)

Spoiled by Auntie...

I was looking through some of my pictures on my computer...and I noticed a common theme-I (a.k.a. AUNTIE) spoil Jack (a.k.a. pooter)! You know I think that is what aunties are for! I am sure Christine is taking notes of my efforts to make the kid rotten-and I am sure some long day from now I will get what is coming to me! As if Jack already didn't have a picture sight all his own on his mommy's blog...here are a few more! So check out things you can only do with Auntie:

Indulge in all that is sweet...okay, so really this drink was Mimi's but I might have accidentally let him have a sonic swig

Learn the designer way...I mean the kid loves Coach, what can I say-he is really after my cell phone, and did I let him have the cell phone?...Ofcourse!

Stay messy...apparently Uncle Bradley gets away with this too!

Experience a number of career opportunities- he would make a fine bell-hop and who do you think encouraged him up there...well, auntie ofcourse!

About one minute prior to this snapshot Christine calmly said, "you probably shouldn't give him the whole bag of goldfish..." Well, could you resist that face?!?

...too bad I couldn't capture the bed jumping, the "no, no, no," or the toy store...I am so glad I have my little pooter to spoil, but I am so glad that he has parents that are disciplined enough to bring him back to reality while at the same time showing him the time of his life! I am so grateful and blessed to watch Matt and Tine parent in such a faithful, relaxed, disciplined, fun, patient, devoted, and loving way. I don't think this kid knows how good he has it...thanks Matt and Tine for letting me do the auntie thing, and as for

auntie, I will just keep spoiling!

I spoil the pooter...and this is the thanks I get-he is so glaring at me! But he is still so stinking cute! I wish you could all hear him say "Emily"-absolutely priceless...all you aunties out there keep up the fun!

The Bandwagon...well, I am on it

...yes it is true. I have become a serious Francine Rivers addict. I am officially like a few years behind on every "trendy" thing there is...well, it took me long enough to pick up a Francine Rivers book, and let me tell you I can not put them down! It is almost like Christian "cliche" to love her books, but I am no poser-this is the real deal! If you haven't read them-read them...and if you have read them-well, start praying she writes some more. I started of course with Redeeming Love, moved quickly to The Atonement Child, next it was The Scarlet Thread, then followed by Leota's Garden...I just couldn't put them down. Well, I knew my grandma would love them too, so we started sharing the books-like our own little Grandma and Emily book club. I have loved sharing these books with her! For my birthday, way back in November, and for Christmas, my Grandma and Poppa gave me the first two books in the Mark of the Lion Series, A Voice In the Wind and An Echo in the Darkness. Well, since I am a big nerd-school was taking over my life, and it was everything I could do to stay focused on my school assignments and leave good old Francine alone. I was so pumped when I finished my wintermester class, and you know what I did right after finishing a reading/writing intensive course-I picked up the Mark of the Lion Series. Okay, I took out these two books in no time! I stayed up till 2 and 3 in the morning to find out what would happen...

These books have greatly impacted my life! She is such a gifted writer-and her purpose for these books is to share her faith and the faith of so many through amazing stories! I can't wait to start the final book in the series, and then read the rest of Rivers' collection! I encourage you to all read these books-I am sure most of you have-reading these books is a great pleasurable activity that also stirs your faith and keeps your mind on GOD! I can honestly say these books have challenged me in my walk. so yes, my name is Emily and I am a Francine Rivers addict! I still gotta a lot more Rivers to read, too!

Well, on another nerdy note...school started up again! My last semester, I think, if I survive...why do I do this to myself? I am in a women and family policy class, social work in schools class, psychodynamics (who takes a class, when the name of the class is over your head?!?!), my integrative seminar(like a thesis paper), and my Aledo internship. It is good to be back in Aledo! This semester should be interesting, but I will be glad when it is all said and done!...

...then I can just read some good Christian Fiction compliments of Francine Rivers, oh yeah and get a job...

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Tomorrow may be Friday the 13th, but it also happens to be my dad's BIRTHDAY! Roy Tyndall is the best dad I know, and he deserves the best birthday. Have you ever seen the movie Big Fish? Well, that guy-with all the adventures-that reminds me of my dad...except my dad keeps a lot more to himself. Partly, because we don't give him too many opportunities to talk-he is in a family of loud mouths...well, DAD I hope you have a great day tomorrow and I am so often amazed by the life you have led, the man you are, and the great example and impact you made on all of us as our dad...thanks dad....and now, as one of the family loud mouths I will tell you about my dad:

My dad is a....
*I-HOP lovin'

*hard-workin'
* father of five
*referee substitute from the stands
*Vietnam Veteran

*Carolina Boy
*text twist king
*grandpa of five precious boys

*polo wearing after-shave man
*retired guy...still working
*joke telling funny man
*exUNC cheerleader
*leader to the family
*sacrificial man
*army helicopter pilot

*hamburger lovin'

*I only need two pairs of shoes kinda guy
*senior citizen
*dog whisperer (we think...)
*generous man
*heart-attack survivor
*constant encouragement and coach
*God-fearing man
*Verizon/GTE retired salesman
*uncle to so many that love him
*lefty
*missionary to all around
*defensive driver to the max
*fishin' fool
*devoted and supportive husband
*cheering fan
*conservative democrat?
*guy that can be cute and grumpy at the same time
*man of faith
*coke drinker
*dad that doesn't get the recognition he always should
***YEAR OLDER...you can just guess his age, ok?

This list is random, silly, and does not do my dad justice. He has been through so many hard times and good times- and my dad has not only pushed through them all but been an amazing example to others...my dad is the kind of dad that turns a girl like me into a daddy's girl! Well, dad, Happy Birthday. We'll have some coke, peanut m&ms, and play a game of around the world for old times sake, and then we can go on a drive to I-HOP and I won't even get my Emily attitude when you tell me all the driving mistakes I made on the way!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD...and dad quit being too cool-get a blog-everyone's doing it, pops!

(classic pictures of dad and mom in some classic 70s threads, dad as a brave soldier(looks like Brad), and dad and us on the Carolina beaches...oh, tine I wish we still looked that good in a bikini...)